PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 155, 1 July 1914, Page 7

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

jfOTES FROM THE GALLERY. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter., WELLINGTON, Tuesday. LICENSING BILL. The Prime Minister gave notice this afternoon of his intention to-morrow to introduce and have read a first time the Licensing -\,-t Amendment Bill. KII_T READINGS. The following measures were introduced nnd read a lirsi time:— Civil Service Ofliccr?' Guarantee Repeal Bill (Hon. Mr. Herdman). Crimes Amendment Bill illnti. Mr. Herdman). Defamation Bill i lion. Mr. Herdman), Immigration Restriction Amendment Bill (Hon. Mr- Kisheri Local Elections and Polls .Amendment Bill and Local Elections Proportional Representations Bill (Hon Mr. Kislier), Factories Act Amendment Bill i Mr- Wilfordl. Two bills were also introduced by Llovernor's mesgage: The r'niil Preserving Industry Act Amendment Bill and -a bill to consolidate and amend the enactment relating to the Jurisdiction of Magistrates and Justices of the Neace. NEW BILL. Notice was given of the Licensing Amendment Bill I Bight Hon. W. E. Massey). RESTRICTIONS ON MAORIS. Hon. H 11. Rhodes (Minister of Public Health) announced to-day that from to-morrow all restrictions affecting the travelling of .Maori- .shall be removed. Ho stated that three months had elapsed since the hi-I case of smallpox was notified. COUNCIL BILL. No altera;ion of principle is contained in the Legislative Council Bill, which the Government has again brought forward this year, but the dale uf proposed operation has been postponed until January Ist. Wlli. and the first election under the Act is .also postponed until the first general election of llic House of Representatives after the year 1915. FORESTRY AND COST OK LIVING. „r. S. M. Thomson asked the Prime Jlinister this afternoon if he would give the House an opportunity this session of discussing the Forest Commission's report, whieli was presented to the House in Bill. Mr. Massey replied that Jie was sorry an earlier opportunity had not .presented itself. He had no objection lo affording it this session so Ion" as nn unreasonable delay or obstruction took place. In reply to Mr. I. Russell the Premier said he would also give an opportunity to the [louse of discussing the cost of living report so long as the Parliament's bnsiness was not delayed. TO ASSIST FRUIT INDUSTRY. The Fruit-preserving Industry Amendment Bill, introduced to-day by the •Prime Minister, provides for increasing fjhe amount that may be advanced by the Minister of Agriculture for the purpose of establishing cold stnres for fruit, fruit-canning works, and nther works in connection with the preservation of fruit, from .£10(10 in any one case to £0000. ANTI-REFERENDUM. The Bible in schools question will be the subject of diseu.-sion, not only in tic House, but probably in the ICducation Committee also. .V petition presented to-day by the Hon. A. L. Herdman, signed by Mrr-. S. A. Atkinson. Professor Hugh Mackenzie and about twenty other-, requests that the petitioners be heard before the Education Committee of the House. They declare that the present national system nf education hart conferred great benefits on the people of New Zealand, and its main feature, namely, it.-, free, compulsory and secular character should on no account be interfered with, that no tpligious question can be dealt, with by irill of a majority, and to take a referendum on such a question would be to interfere with religious liberty. WOOLLEN MILL WORKERS. 'Mr. Milford this afternoon introduced lis Factories Act .Amendment Bill, which, he explain".!', was intended tn ■hring the working boons of women and boys in woollen factories into line with the factory hours of other industries. Ho pointed out that at 'present the -hours for such laboiiT iv bootinaking, clothing, Eaddlery and harness, laundry and match-making factories were 45 per week, while in woollen factories they 'Were IS hours, and the wages were in nearly every case al.-o lower in the woollen mill. IT-KEEP OF .MAIN ROADS. Mr. Myers suggested to the Prime Minister the ad'visableu ess nf setting up a Main Roads 'Board, to bake over the construction and maintenance of the main roads-of the Dominion, on tire lines ol the Main Roads Hoard sot up last yearly the'Yictorian States Parliament. NATIONA L INSURANC-E. . The member for Nelson ('Mr. Atmore). m putting forward' a suggestion which Would involve increased' expenditure by the Defence Department to-day, also mentioned a method' of -raising tlie wmd." .He asked ihe Minister for Defence whether he will this so-rsion .initiate legislation making provision for the payment tn Tenriiorkiis when in camp °f a sum equal to tint -earned by them miring a similar period when following their ordinary avocations, 'but providing that in no ease shall any Territorial realise leas than 4/ per .lav when in camp. ,|2| .Wh.ther he will make provision for all defence expenditure lo be Paid out of a special defence tax, tn be Ktvied' on all pcirsnn© in the Dominion according to the amount, of wealth held 'hy such persons. It is usual to refer to tire Defence expenditure as a huge insurance premium against national disaster, adds Mr. Atmore, and if it is - 0 . then each penson should contribute to ihe fund in proportion tn the value of his property thus ««Wjd. nnd necni-dincr t„ ,l,e risk earned by the Stat. hi.? behalf. KARATONGA. TAHITI AND FIJI •SERVICES. The subsidy of .LI.-.'IK! a year which ■has been paid since IS!C, for the Auek-Pdslarotonga-Tal.iti service to insist While development of trade, arid also the contract for the earning of mails bel_^ n Auc - kl ' a nd> and Fiji, entered into in wo. involving a subsidy of „1;6!)0 per amimr.. will cease in .lame. 1014. ThereZ.J Ule usual poundage rates will be paid. ° COST OF SUEZ SERVICE. During the tear 1013-14 payments amounting m £33_>1 were made in rota 6J*et -of the Suez mail service, of which WfLS4 went lo the. H>. and 0. Co., ■w.178 for transit chargw across Australia and Europe. .. IIK I _15»89 for mail *»wee to Australia,